Rate Chevy Bolt

[GoEV4uNme]

Do you guys think Chevy Bolt is better than Hyundai IONIQ?

Frankly, I do not understand Ioniq's purpose on the US market.

Diggle- Far more enjoyable to drive! normal to comfortable interior and love the regen paddle on the steering wheel!

dDF- Have you driven one yet? I'd highly recommend it! GREAT car! For the price point, it certainly beats the Leaf by a long shot.(IMHO)

[gpsman]

I give it a solid 8/10. Maybe 8.5/10.

You really need to keep cost out of the equation.
Being first (or early) adopters you will allways pay more. You pay for the privaledge and most are happy to do so.

My dad's first VCR (video cassete recorder) was $2500. But we were first on our street to have one.

Cost aside I would rate it an 8.

I totally agree there is too much torque for the wheels and weight on them. I can squeel the tires on demand. Lose one point for the seats. They aren't great but not as bad as some portry them to be.

[ngasfme]

Frankly, I do not understand Ioniq's purpose on the US market.

CARB credits are probably as valuable to Hyundai as they are to Chevy.

dBF- I'd agree with oilerlord there. but, as for the comment someone made on "getting a piece of the action," that's a completely incorrect presupposition.

Does anyone remember what happened when the Beetle first came on the scene?
It was so easy to maintain on one's own, people drove them into the ground, only to rebuild them again, and VW's revenue dropped through the floor.

In this case, ICEs=residual and long term income for the dealers and the manufacturers... There's currently no real money to be made in the EV segment of the market nor will there be as much opportunity in the future. EVs require far less maintenance than their ICE counterparts and as a result, currently cost manufacturers a considerable amount of lost future revenue.
Keep in mind that automotive manufacturers and oil companies have long been in cahoots in efforts to ensure each other's greater economic well-being. The ONLY reason this segment has met with any progress, is thanks to the collaborating efforts of Tesla founders.
(Partial credit to Nissan/Renault as they brought it in at a very affordable rate)

I'm not expressing this because I'm some kind of Tesla fan(although for the time being, I am a great supporter), but rather, GM and many other manufacturers will (mostly unofficially) fight the change, tooth and nail.

GoEV, Well said and so true. The status quo is killing the US and the Elon Musks of the world are far and few between. The man's a rock star. I love the quote that some of his SpaceX engineers say about him - something like "He's tough to work for but I'd follow him through the gates of hell if I have to."

[roadking40]

As a prior Tesla S owner, owned an 85 and 70D until the 70D was totaled, I would give the Bolt a solid 9.

Good -
Fit and finish - is actually pretty nice. Not quite Tesla model S, but the car is tight, doesn't rattle and is quiet. Materials are decent, but clearly entry level. Some of the new finishes Chevy is using are pretty cool. Body panel fit is good, interior panel fits is about average.

Performance - vehicle is fun to drive, not crazy fast, but adequate. Braking, handling is fine. It's not as agile as a Golf, but is better than the Leaf or other entry level EV's.

Range- So far has been outstanding. Better than the 70D.

Charging - Adequate, works great with 240V.

Value - Considering tax savings, no license plate fees and a "clean" footprint, not bad. More than an entry level car, but a good value for the technology.

Infotainment - Better than expected. Screen is large, easy to use and configurable. Audio is not up to speed, but something I can improve on. Stay tuned....

Paint quality - nice, minimal orange peel, consistent, well done.

Climate controls, functions. - Very good. Works great even here in the desert.

Not so good-

Seating - Not as bad as the forum is reporting, but not "comfy". Could be better. Back seats fold down, but not flat, clearly eats up valuable space. Not as slick as the Tesla.

Charging - the 120v standard charging is SLOW. Chevy really needs to offer 240V as standard and provide the owner with a kit similar to what Tesla provides an owner. I had 240V installed prior, but as a new owner of a Bolt, I would be bummed out having to spend the $$ to add 240V plus another 500-800 for a Juice box or similar 240v charger.

Dealer knowledge - I happened to get one of the first Bolts sold in AZ. The dealer was fine, but clearly are not up to speed on the product. Tesla kills them here.

Overall, happy owner. This is not my primary driver, but as a commuter car around the Phoenix area it works as described.

[powersurge]

I own a Nissan Leaf, and test-drove a $44k Bolt... So I know a little about the current crop of EVs... Bolt - Drivetrain - I think it has too much acceleration, which will temp "spirited" drivers to get into trouble and accelerate too fast, lowering their car's range. Body - Car is nice and high off the ground, but too narrow, and will only carry 4 adults (not comfortably). Display - Too big, and too bright, which will distract and annoy the driver long-term... Finally - Price- I think the killer here is the price. A base Leaf is $29K. Even the base Bolt (which is not really seen yet in dealers because they are pushing all of the options) is almost $40K. I will never consider a $40k, small, 4 seat, car (Chevy). I like my Leaf at this point, and it has more seat and trunk room.... My "rating" for the BOLT - in the current crop of EV cars.... 7.5/ 10 (overall). Leaf (albeit an 80 mile EV) - 8.5 (overall) (for an owner that does not NEED 100+ mile range)...

[roperld]

I leased a 2012 LEAF SL for 3 years and a 2015 LEAF SV for 2 years. Some guy ran a red light in front of my 2012 LEAF, which almost ripped the front off of it and set the airbag off into my face; it cost his insurance company $13,000 to repair it. The 2012 LEAF had 23,000 miles on it when I turned it in.

I really liked the two LEAFs. My daughter bought the 2015 with 13,000 miles on it after I returned it to Nissan for less than $10,000 and she loves it, now decorated with large flowers.

I drove my Chevrolet Bolt EV (CBEV) for 3000 miles in less than two months, including trips of 200-300 miles: http://www.roperld.com/science/cbevropertrips.pdf.

I compare the CBEV Premium, with the packages and fast-charging capability that I purchased to the two leased LEAFs:
• The CBEV ride is slightly harsher than the LEAF, but I have adjusted to it. I find driving on curved and mountainous road similar to the LEAF; i.e., really great!
• I wish the driver's seat were 1" wider and probably would want it even wider if I were wider.
• The CBEV is easier to get in and out of than the lower LEAF.
• I use Android Auto (AA) for navigation, but, for backup, added navigation to the free minimal OnStar for $100/year after using it several times during the free 3-months period. I have several suggestions for improving AA, but that has nothing to do with CBEV itself.
• It did not take long for this 81-year old man to adjust to the fast acceleration, especially when cornering, and one-pedal driving, which I use all the time. I always used B in the LEAF, but L in the CBEV is much better.
• The road noise is similar to the LEAF.
• I really like the large screens. I like the large digital speed similar to the LEAF.
• I would like to have on an Energy screen a running total of kWh used and average miles/kWh since the manufacture of the CBEV. The LEAF did not have this either.
• At first I missed the digital percent SOC of the 2015 LEAF, but now find the 5% SOC bars of the CBEV adequate and more informative than the 12 SOC bars of the LEAF, especially the fact of the top LEAF bar being 15% and the remaining 10 bars being 6.25% and the bottom bar being 16.25%. I like the minimum, average and maximum estimates of remaining range, which is more helpful than just the single estimate of remaining range of the LEAF.
• I find the CBEV cruise control difficult to use by finger touch. The + button needs a bump on it and the - button needs a depression on it similar to the volume control levers behind the right of the steering wheel. The LEAF cruise control was better in that regard, but was on the section of the steering wheel that flies off when the airbag is actuated which could cause a hand injury, which is not the case for the CBEV.
• I had to remove the false floor in the trunk in order to fit our small dog's cloth crate in it.

I had the portable 120-volts EVSE converted to 240-volts (http://evseupgrade.com) with a 120-volts pigtail. I also got pigtails from the same company for NEMA 14-30/50/60 outlets (dryers/RV-parks/fairgrounds) and NEMA L6-30 outlet (welders, garages and some level-2 charging stations). See http://www.roperld.com/science/Chevrole ... 0Volts.pdf. And I got the JDapter Stub for charging at version-1 Tesla Wall Connectors (http://www.roperld.com/science/JDapterStubInfo.pdf).

[sgt1372]

I had the portable 120-volts EVSE converted to 240-volts (http://evseupgrade.com) with a 120-volts pigtail. I also got pigtails from the same company for NEMA 14-30/50/60 outlets (dryers/RV-parks/fairgrounds) and NEMA L6-30 outlet (welders, garages and some level-2 charging stations). See http://www.roperld.com/science/Chevrole ... 0Volts.pdf. And I got the JDapter Stub for charging at version-1 Tesla Wall Connectors (http://www.roperld.com/science/JDapterStubInfo.pdf).

Thanks for your review and for the EVSE conversion tip.

There has been talk on the forum of a DIY modification of the 120V OEM charger but wasn't aware of any company willing to do it. Never wanted to do it myself but will consider having it done by the company you referenced now that I know it's an option.

[gbobman]

There has been talk on the forum of a DIY modification of the 120V OEM charger but wasn't aware of any company willing to do it. Never wanted to do it myself but will consider having it done by the company you referenced now that I know it's an option.

I can understand if you don't want to do it. Just know the parts are like $30 and took me 30 minutes (due to the wires being so stiff - wrestling!). Don't spend too much on that adapter.

Seriously, I'd do it for you for $20 over the parts and shipping just to keep you from being ripped off. And don't get the one where they chop off the original wiring either. A warranty is a good thing not to lose.

Either way, good luck!

[sgt1372]

I can understand if you don't want to do it. Just know the parts are like $30 and took me 30 minutes (due to the wires being so stiff - wrestling!). Don't spend too much on that adapter.

Seriously, I'd do it for you for $20 over the parts and shipping just to keep you from being ripped off. And don't get the one where they chop off the original wiring either. A warranty is a good thing not to lose.

Either way, good luck!

Thanks for the offer but I really have no plans of doing the conversion.

However, maybe someone else will be interested enuf to take you up on it.

The only thing I might need is a L2 extension cord but I don't plan 2 buy one of those either.

[GoEV4uNme]

So, having driven my Bolt from South Surrey British Columbia to Toronto Ontario, I think I'm now in a position to update my previous rating.

As an EV: Solid 9! ( I think anything above that would have to offer a minimum of 310mile/500km range, regardless of price point)

Traction: 6 Seems the one I got is quite a bit more stable than the demo I drove, though, it could be due to the fact that I'm quite vigilant about maintaining proper tire pressure. I now find it much more stable through normal commuting conditions.

External Aesthetics(Purely arbitrary): 8 - It's actually grown on me over the week that I've actually driven it, day in and day out.
Interior Aesthetics(Again, purely arbitrary): 8- I was lucky enough to purchase the last Bolt in Canada that hadn't already been spoken for. It happened to come with dark grey cloth seats. Much more comfortable(IMHO) than the optional leather, which I originally sat in for my test drive.

Acceleration(relative to price point): 8.5~9.0

Infotainment: 8- (But still...Seriously? No on-board navigation?) Luckily, my 8 inch HuaWei pad fits PERFECTLY in the infotainment nook so I can just use that for navigation and turn the infotainment screen off to conserve power. Even while the radio is playing.

Driver's Console: 8.5- Very much user friendly but has a few useless options on it, like, On-Star Navigation... (What OnStar Navigation???)

Regenerative Breaking: 9.5 (Absolutely AMAZING regenerative breaking system! KUDOS ENGINEERS!) Haven't changed my view here, but, have actually gained even more appreciation for it as, I only actually use my breaks several times per outing... you can actually learn to time your driving so that the regen breaking brings you to a complete stop! I still cover my break, but, barely actually use the darn thing! I can't see myself having to pay for ANYTHING for at least the first 2 years of ownership with this thing... Already saving somewhere between $500~$1000/mth on fuel. Never mind maintenance and repair costs associated with driving my ICEs... Too early to be sure as of yet but, my Bolt will pay for itself within the first 3 years of ownership. With an ICE vehicle, I'd still be in for fuel and maintenance expenses.

Visibility: 9- The more I drive it, the more I become accustomed to all that window clarity.

Drive Comfort: 8- Especially on a cross-country highway, where you can set the cruise control, put your feet up and glide from province to province. ( or charger to charger )

Seating Space(Relative to class): 9- This thing was a breeze to drive across the country!

Trunk: 7.5 - 8.0 actually managed to fit 2 large pieces of Samsonite luggage in the trunk and still have space for carry-ons.

I'll rate it again (relative to me, personally) after a month or 2.
Several key points for why I'm buying the Bolt now though...


Took delivery of my Midnight Grey LT 2 weeks ago, and, I'm absolutely glad I made the purchase!
I would do it again I had to go back and make the decision again.

The cross country drive got a bit tight at times, but in the city, I drive it just like I would any of my other cars.
I use the free fast chargers available in the city and haven't even needed to install a home charging system.
I imagine that will change with more EVs on the road and possibly lining up at charging stations, but at least not until the next round of Bolt and new Leaf deliveries, next year!

Absolutely LOVE MY BOLT!

(So far... )

I just think they should offer a software update with the navigation... it would prompt me to extend my (currently) free OnStar phone and data subscription, for sure!